Ventura Wrecks Marlins Again

Remember when the New York Mets were barely more than a blip on the Marlins' radar in 1997, back when the fighting fish were gunning for Atlanta and nothing less would do?

Now the 1999 Mets are trying to become the '97 Marlins, and the 1999 Marlins are trying not to become ... well, the '98 Marlins.

Robin Ventura hit a pair of three-run homers and the Mets rolled to a 10-4 victory Monday night in the opener of a 10-game homestand in front of a sparse crowd at Pro Player Stadium. Even with the Mets in town and no rain, only 12,444 tickets were sold for the opener of the four-game series.

Those who showed up saw Ventura put on another Marlins-wrecking display, turning several fine defensive plays and cranking home runs in the fourth and fifth innings against starter Brian Meadows and left-hander Vic Darensbourg. Ventura has a sublime .500 average (19 for 38) with four homers and 17 RBI in 10 games against the Marlins this season, which includes eight New York wins.

"I don't know why he's like this,'' manager John Boles said dryly. "I used to work for the White Sox and so did he. You'd think there would be some kind of camaraderie.''

Said Meadows: "He's a great hitter, and the pitch I threw him [2-2 fastball in the fourth inning] was almost a gift it was so far over the plate. I'm sure he's going to hate the fact that we're done with them after this series.''

Meadows first said he was surprised Boles replaced him with a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the fourth inning with one on, two outs, and the Marlins trailing just 3-2. But Meadows reconsidered and said he wasn't really surprised, considering the pitcher's recent history.

Meadows (5-9) has won only twice in 13 starts since going 3-0 to begin the season. His ERA is nearly 7.00 during the 13 starts and he has gone more than six innings only once in that span.

"Maybe he wanted to get me out of there to keep it from blowing up in my face,'' Meadows said. Boles didn't think Meadows had close to his best stuff.

Meanwhile, Al Leiter, who started Game 7 of the 1997 World Series for the Marlins, beat his former team for the second time in six days as Florida began its homestand with more of what followed it throughout its just-completed 12-game trip. More defeat.

Leiter was charged with three runs and seven hits in 61/3 innings and improved to 4-1 with a 3.24 ERA in five starts against his former team, including 2-1 this season. He escaped a bases-loaded jam when he struck out Preston Wilson to end the third inning.

Wilson also struck out against Turk Wendell with two on to end the seventh. He snapped his bat over his right thigh a la Bo Jackson after the last strikeout.

Talk about two teams headed in opposite directions: The Marlins have lost 14 of 17 since a seven-game winning streak; the Mets have won 16 of 21 since an eight-game losing streak.

Among the few offensive highlights for the Marlins were an opposite-field home run to right by Danny Bautista, his second in as many days; a three-hit game by Luis Castillo; and an 11-pitch at-bat by Alex Gonzalez, who singled off Leiter after fouling off five consecutive pitches.